Okay, imagine you live in a city with around 30,000 residents that’s under siege. After several months, the enemy forces break through, rape every woman they can get their hands on, loot and break all valuables, and get drunk with the alcohol they find, and set the city on fire. At the end of the day, over 25,000 people have died in the inferno and at the hands of the invaders. For context, that’s all of Oklahoma State’s undergrad population dying in one day. Now imagine that happened 400 years ago and your city has since been rebuilt.

Out of all of the places I am visiting for my thesis, I was most excited to visit Normandy. I went once when I was around 9, and I really had no understanding of what its significance was. I went to Pont du Hoc and was surprised by how much the ground was scarred, but that was about it. After having spent quite a while reading about World War II, watching all of Band of Brothers a dozen times, and studying the battle, I really wanted to return to Normandy with an appreciation for what happened there. I was not disappointed!

I never thought I would have the chance to study abroad, as division I athletes are rarely presented with this kind of opportunity. Swimming has always been my priority, so I never even considered it.  Yet here I am, leaving for Milan in 36 hours (still haven’t packed a thing- how uncharacteristic of me to procrastinate!).

It’s difficult to register that you’re leaving for a month while you're packing. As you fold socks and underwear while staring at a detailed checklist it can seem more like you're on your way to summer camp than an international learning experience. The moment it hit me that I was going to Salamanca and more importantly traveling abroad, alone for the first time, was on the plane.

Journal Comic #1: In which we wonder about transnational queerness, everything is complicated, and no one is prepared.

A few days ago I was talking with a friend about abroad experiences, since I was about to embark on mine to Paris and he had spent a year living in Paris.  Of course he had suggestions on where to go, what to do, and the infamous speech by everyone who has been abroad saying “it is the best time of your life”.  This made me wonder what is it about studying and traveling abroad that makes everyone say this phrase?  Why do we have this love affair with traveling?  People travel for all sorts of re

Hi hello!

It is my last night in Amsterdam and it is getting really emotional here. For the last week, whenever I ride my bike around the city I think to myself, you better pay attention and take this all in because you might never see it again. But I hate to think like this. I do not want to say goodbye to the city I have fallen deeply in love with. I'd rather just say a thoughtful farewell and see you next time. It still gets pretty bad though when I ugly cry on the inside.

            Today is Saturday, May 30, 2015, and I am officially one week into my study abroad program!  I’ve done so much, but I still can’t believe it actually has been one full week.  I did make it to Freiburg in one piece, but that’s not to say it was a particularly smooth process.

T-minus two days until I leave for my adventure in Rabat! Somehow, that reality hasn't quite sunk in yet, despite the whirlwind of preparation I've had to do over the past week and a half. I've done a bit of shopping-- as someone who splits time between SoCal and central Texas, the idea of pants and scarves in the summer is completely alien to me. Despite my lack of experience, I managed to find a lot of good stuff at  REI, J. Crew and the Elephant Pants that will keep me cool and covered.